Yesterday, Tam and I let the neighbors set off fireworks -- a near-continuous pop and bang by 9:30 at night, with a multicolored flicker all around -- and had a cookout. (The cats aren't much bothered by the sound, muffled by a little distance and the fence and walls of the house.)
The grocer had some nice "prime choice" (hand-selected USDA Choice) New York Strip steaks. A sprinkle of coarse kosher salt, freshly-ground black pepper, garlic powder and truffle zest well before cooking time set them up to do their best on the grill over lump hardwood charcoal.
It's so hot that a heavy meal was out of the question. I made corn on the cob (mostly in water, then wrapped in foil and left to roast on the outside edges of the grill while the steaks cooked) and some microwave, fresh-cut zucchini in a buttery sauce, and that was plenty.
But what's Independence Day without apple pie and ice cream? Better yet, the grocer was out of vanilla -- but they had honey ice cream, which is vanilla with the bee's work replacing the sugar. A scoop of that on a nice slice of warmed-up bakery pie is as fine and easy a treat as anyone could want.
If you can find it, try hanger steak. I made kabobs with it last month, and I've never had beef that tender. I could cut it with a butter knife BEFORE I cooked it.
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